This invention relates to a new and improved foam for animal care such as bovine teat dips and teat washes, and the like.
Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved combined foam teat dip and teat wash. Specifically, it would be highly desirable to provide a foamed bovine teat dip which would cover the outer teat area, and provide protection to the teat canal when the teat sphincter is open following a milking procedure, when the teat canal is exposed and highly vulnerable to immediate infection. Even when the teat sphincter has closed, it would still be desireable to prevent infection from reaching the area of the teat opening, and the teat area in general with reduced run off. This would enable the foam to adhere to and remain in close and protective contact with the teat. Further, it is desired to provide an apparatus with the capability of producing foam using a wide variety of surfactants, such as those disclosed, supra.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,713,423 and 4,305,346 describe an apparatus which coats a bovine teat area with fine spray or mist, but these patented devices are hand operated and do not produce any foam, let alone a foam fulfilling the above protective characteristics. It will also be appreciated that use of foam reduces the amount of liquid used for a bovine teat dip compared to either a spray or liquid dip, and hence an improvement in the operation of these two patents would be desirable.
According to the invention, there is provided a method for producing a combined foam teat dip and teat wash by pressurizing air with surfactant at a relatively high pressure followed by depressurization of the surfactant at atmospheric pressure to produce a foam which penetrates adherent dirt which can then be readily removed by cloths typically used by dairymen.